Now that the Olympics are underway once again, I find that I am drawn toward sports which are characterized by man/woman/team against time, distance and physical forces. Swimming, track, golf, speed skating and downhill skiing offer good examples; while "false starts" sometimes come into play, they are now detected with the use of technology.
Less appealing (for me) are sporting events that rely on the subjective opinion of judges; diving, gymnastics, freestyle skiing and figure skating offer obvious examples. While one cannot deny the athletic skills, conditioning and devotion of the participants (as well as the professional qualifications of the judges) it is difficult to ignore the possibility (if not probability) that favoritism and nationalism influence the scores.
Perhaps I am demonstrating my personal cynicism by admitting to this preference but, as a student of human nature, I am more inclined to trust the judgement of technology than the eyes and hearts of my fellow humans. We are better equipped to appreciate art, music and natural beauty than we are to detect subtle differences in athletic performance.
